IMPORTANT DEPARTMENT ANNOUNCEMENT

You may have recently read about changes introduced by the Department of Education regarding a new staffing agreement. Over the past week, we have received additional details on how these changes will impact schools.

Key Changes Affecting You:

• Additional Staff Development Days: Two additional Staff Development Days will take place at the beginning of 2025.
• Start Date for Students: All students from Kindergarten to Year 6, including Year 5 OC, will now begin on Thursday, February 6. Further communication with specific details about the schedule for this day will be sent out closer to the date.

Kindergarten Best Start:
Kindergarten Best Start Assessments will be conducted over the first five weeks of school. Individual appointments are no longer required for these assessments.

NSW PRIMARY PRINCIPAL'S STATE CONFERENCE

Last week, I attended the NSW Primary Principals' Conference, where principals from across the state gathered to discuss and reflect on the value of strong leadership and empowering our school communities to thrive. On Wednesday morning, I had the privilege and pride of seeing our exceptional Jazz Band perform for an audience of over 600 principals. Naturally, they were outstanding and left everyone amazed with their performance. We truly have something special here at Artarmon.

Congratulations to our Jazz Band and Mr Warmsley.

2024 SCHOOL INVOICES

Outstanding 2024 school invoices were emailed again this week and are available for viewing in your SchoolBytes Portal. These charges cover incursions and excursions linked to our teaching and learning programs, aimed at enhancing students' educational experiences. If you received an email about outstanding fees and are unsure why, please feel free to contact the office for clarification.

Thank you in advance for finalizing these invoices, as program continuity may be impacted without parent contributions. If you require financial assistance, please don’t hesitate to email the school at artarmon-p.school@det.nsw.edu.au, and I will contact you confidentially.

PUBLIC SPEAKING FINALS

As you'll read in the article below, last week we held our school-wide public speaking competition finals. This competition, which runs from Term 3 into Term 4, is organized and led by teachers to emphasize the importance of public speaking. Throughout the competition, each student is given opportunities and encouraged to focus on key elements of a strong speech, setting personal goals for improvement.

Watching the finals last week was truly inspiring, and all students should be incredibly proud of their achievements. They stepped out of their comfort zones to develop this essential skill.

MEET THE LOCAL HIGH SCHOOL PRINCIPALS

To support families in the transition to high school, I have arranged for our local high school principals, Mr Richard McKeough (Chatswood HS) and Ms Adrienne Scalese (Willoughby Girls HS), to speak with you about their schools and the opportunities in public education.

This is a fantastic chance to meet these principals, ask questions, and learn more about each school.

While this event is open to all families, it is especially relevant to those with students in Years 3-6 who are nearing the transition to high school.

PHONES AND SAFE USE WHEN OUTSIDE SCHOOL GROUNDS

As you know, our school, like all public schools, has a policy that restricts the use of individual phones or devices by students during the school day. We follow the "off and away" policy, which is shared with all parents at the beginning of each school year.

Last week, I spoke to Years 3-6 students during assembly about phone use before and after school hours. Both from my own observations and from reports I’ve received, it’s clear that many students are holding and looking at their phones when arriving or leaving school. This often includes crossing roads or walking along footpaths, which raises serious concerns about their safety.

If your child carries a phone in their bag to communicate with you when they arrive at or leave school, please discuss safe usage with them. Phones or devices that distract them while walking, crossing streets, or standing on a train platform increase the risk of harm or significant injury.

I ask that you please continue to have these important conversations with your children to help ensure they stay attentive and safe on their way to and from school.